Written Answers Monday 24 September 2007

Scottish Executive

Efficient Government

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its plans for simpler, smaller government, as promised in the SNP manifesto.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3225 on 10 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Health

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will develop its proposals in relation to individual health plans for school pupils, as referred to in Better Health, Better Care: A Discussion Document and, in particular, how the plans will impact upon the nursing profession.

Shona Robison: We are seeking views on these proposals as part of the Better Health, Better Care consultation. Views received in response to the discussion paper will inform the development and progress of this work.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to be a health priority.

Nicola Sturgeon: The discussion document Better Health, Better Care , which I launched on 16 August 2007, seeks to further raise the profile of long-term conditions management, including the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement the recommendations relating to the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease set out in the Audit Scotland report, Managing long-term conditions .

Nicola Sturgeon: While the Audit Scotland report contains very useful information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, its recommendations are couched in relation to all long-term conditions. We will take these into account in the plan for long-term conditions which is being developed by the Chief Medical Officer in partnership with the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland and which will feed into the action plan flowing from Better Health, Better Care .

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce clinical standards for the care of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in tandem with the establishment of airways disease managed clinical networks in every NHS board area to implement such standards.

Nicola Sturgeon: The development of clinical standards is a matter for NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. It is keeping in close touch with work on the National Service Framework (NSF) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being developed in England and will consider whether the standards in the NSF can be adopted for Scotland as they stand, or whether they require adjustment to suit Scottish circumstances. These standards would be mandatory on all boards providing services for people with COPD.

  Respiratory Managed Clinical Networks would be an excellent vehicle for promoting implementation of such standards locally.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recognises inequalities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care across Scotland and what plans it has to address such inequalities.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Audit Scotland report on long-term conditions draws attention to the links between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and deprivation.

  Better Health, Better Care sets out our commitment to putting health inequalities at the heart of the NHSScotland agenda, in particular by targeting resources on services that support disadvantaged people, particularly those with the most complex needs. The Minister for Public Health is leading a task force on health inequalities to identify and prioritise practical actions to reduce the most significant and widening health inequalities in Scotland.

  Taken together, clinical standards for COPD and respiratory Managed Clinical Networks would address the issues about inconsistency and patchiness of services highlighted in the Audit Scotland report on long-term conditions.

  One of the main inequities highlighted in the Audit Scotland report on long-term conditions was pulmonary rehabilitation services, and these are included in the Scottish Enhanced Services Programme to encourage NHS boards to address this issue.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether implementing clinical standards and co-ordinating care through managed clinical networks would ensure that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease would have better, local and faster access to healthcare services.

Nicola Sturgeon: That would be the expectation.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consult patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their carers on the design and delivery of the care that they receive.

Nicola Sturgeon: The development of Managed Clinical Networks, whether for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or respiratory conditions more generally, gives those with COPD, their carers, and those who speak on their behalf, an opportunity to contribute to the way services are designed and delivered. They will also have opportunities to contribute to the development of clinical standards for COPD services in Scotland.

  People from local organisations such as the British Lung Foundation’s "Breathe Easy" Groups can play an important role in Community Health Partnerships’ Public Partnership fora in relation to the organisation and development of services in their locality.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatric hospital readmissions there have been as a result of substance misuse in each year since 1999.

Shona Robison: The numbers of first admissions and readmissions with a diagnosis of substance misuse (illicit drugs and alcohol) since 1999 until 2005 (most current calendar year with complete data) are contained in tables 1 (drugs) and 2 (alcohol). A copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43666).

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all substance use services and mental health agencies have assessment processes which identify co-morbidity in order to match care to level of need.

Shona Robison: Consultations on a draft report, Delivering for Mental Health: Mental Health and Substance Misuse ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations ) were completed on 3 September 2007. We are now considering the responses made with a view to publication by the year end.

  The report includes specific attention and a recommendation on assessment procedures to ensure mental health and substance misuse agencies follow best practice to identify co-occurring disorders systematically and match care to needs.

  Overall our objectives, through the report and follow up, are to improve the awareness of co-occurring mental health and substance misuse problems; improve support and service provision for people who have both mental health and substance misuse problems.

Health

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it is paying Fiona Armstrong to chair the National Procurement Conference and Exhibition on 31 October 2007.

John Swinney: The event is being organised by BiP Ltd and the Scottish Government is not paying the chair. The event is self-financing, through sale by BiP of tickets and exhibition space.

Justice

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to establish a review into the effectiveness of provisions relating to the retention of DNA data in Scotland.

Kenny MacAskill: I am pleased to announce that Professor Jim Fraser, Director of Strathclyde University’s Centre for Forensic Science, has agreed to review certain aspects of the procedures relating to the destruction of DNA and fingerprint data in Scotland. The review’s terms of reference are;

  To review the operation and effectiveness of the legislative regime governing police powers regarding the acquisition, use and destruction of forensic data in relation to:

  - individuals who are prosecuted for a relevant sexual or violent offence, but not convicted (i.e. where criminal proceedings are instituted but conclude (a) prior to a verdict, or (b) with the accused being acquitted with a verdict of not guilty or not proven, or (c) with the accused being acquitted on grounds of insanity);

  - individuals who, in being dealt with by a children’s hearing, accept that they have committed a relevant sexual or violent offence, or are found by a sheriff to have committed such an offence;

  and taking account of:

  - the views of relevant stakeholders;

  - available information, and

  - experience elsewhere;

  to identify proportionate options for reforming Scots law, by making appropriate provision for a temporary delay in the destruction of such data, in order to enhance crime prevention and detection capability;

  and to report to the Scottish Government within six months.

  The report of the review, which will be published, will help to inform future policy development.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which detoxification and rehabilitation units also diagnose and treat underlying mental health conditions and which mental health issues are treated at each unit.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards and partner agencies adequately train staff to identify and address co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems.

Shona Robison: Consultations on a draft report, Delivering for Mental Health: Mental Health and Substance  Misuse ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations ) were completed on 13 September 2007. We are now considering the responses made with a view to publication by the year end.

  The report includes a specific recommendation on training, calling on agencies to equip substance misuse staff with the values, knowledge and skills required to respond appropriately to the needs of those with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems.

  Overall our objectives, through the report and follow up, are to improve the awareness of co-occurring mental health and substance misuse problems; improve support and service provision for people who have both mental health and substance misuse problems, and to enable individuals to improve their life chances and live to their full potential.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is developing an integrated care plan involving a single point of contact for people with mental health and substance misuse problems.

Shona Robison: Delivering for Mental Health  (Bib. number 41410) included an undertaking at Commitment 13 to translate the principles of Mind the Gaps and A Fuller Life to practical measures and advice on what action needs to be taken to move the joint agenda forward and support joined up local delivery for those with mental health and substance misuse problems.

  Consultations on a draft report, Delivering for Mental Health: Mental Health and Substance Misuse http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations were completed on 13 September 2007. We are now considering the responses made with a view to publication by the year end.

  Our objectives set out in the draft report are to improve the awareness of co-occurring mental health and substance misuse problems; improve support and service provision for people who have both mental health and substance misuse problems, and to enable individuals to improve their life chances and live to their full potential.

Ministerial Travel

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many journeys have been taken by ministers since their appointment in May 2007 by (a) official car, (b) air, (c) rail and (d) ferry.

John Swinney: The number of journeys taken by ministers since their appointment in May 2007, by official car, air, rail, and ferry is shown in the following table:

  

 
Official Car
Air
Rail
Ferry


Alex Salmond
254
2(R) 3(S)
0
0


Nicola Sturgeon
198
3(R)
0
0


John Swinney
200
1(R)
1(S)
0


Fiona Hyslop
178
1(R)
0
0


Kenny MacAskill
117
1(R)
1(R)
0


Richard Lochhead
144
3(R) 1(S)
2(S)
0


Bruce Crawford
98
0
0
0


Linda Fabiani
177
5(R)
1(R) 1(S)
0


Shona Robison
105
0
0
0


Stewart Maxwell
175
2 (R)
0
0


Jim Mather
117
2 (R)
0
0


Stewart Stevenson
94
1(R) 2(S)
1(R) 4(S)
0


Maureen Watt
78
0
0
0


Adam Ingram
80
0
1(R)
0


Fergus Ewing
48
0
0
0


Michael Russell
94
1(R) 2(S)
0
3(S)


Elish Angiolini
181
3(R)
0
0


Frank Mullholland
133
1(R)
1(R)
0


Total
2,471
26(R) 8(S)
5(R) 8(S)
3(S)



  Notes:

  i. The table covers the period 16 May 2007 to 28 August 2007.

  ii. The table includes all official car journeys organised by GCS and undertaken by Scottish Cabinet Secretary/ministers plus journeys necessary for the separate transportation of their official documents/boxes.

  iii. Each leg of a car journey is enumerated separately in the table. So a straightforward return is shown as two journeys. Whereas, air and rail travel are split between return and single journeys; (R) Return (S) Single.

NHS Hospitals

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of public engagement it expects the independent review of accident and emergency facilities in Lanarkshire to undertake.

Nicola Sturgeon: As I set out in the Terms of Reference the Panel will need to take account of local circumstances and the views of individuals and communities affected by effectively engaging with local people, in liaison with the Scottish Health Council. It is for the panel to determine how they will carry out this task.

Organ Donation

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking under its duty under the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 to promote information and awareness about donation for transplantation.

Nicola Sturgeon: The duty is discharged mainly through the funding of advertising campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the need to increase organ donation numbers. The main focus of these campaigns has been to encourage people to add their name to the NHS Organ Donor Register. The 2006 act recognises these registrations as forms of authorisation, and is designed to ensure that people’s wishes are respected after their death.

  As a significant contribution to discharging our duties under the 2006 act, we took full advantage, in terms of raising awareness of organ donation and encouraging people to sign up to the Register, of the launch in Edinburgh in July of Transplant Awareness Week, and the holding of the British Transplant Games in the city. We intend to mount a further advertising and PR campaign later in the year.

Organ Donation

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific targets it has in place to increase the number of people aged (a) 12 and under and (b) over 12 on the organ donation register.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our plans to increase the number of people signing up to the Organ Donor Register are not age-related. A child under the age of 12 years can join the register but in the event of their death while still aged under 12, authorisation would be needed by a person with parental rights or responsibilities for the child before organ donation could lawfully take place. In terms of the 2006 act, children aged 12 or over can add their names to the Organ Donor Register and that counts as self-authorisation under the act.

  The Scottish Government has funded a teaching resource pack aimed at raising awareness amongst senior school pupils of the issues associated with organ donation and transplantation. The pack, which we expect to be in use in schools across Scotland, has the potential over time to produce a population with a heightened awareness of the benefits of transplantation.

  With the support of the Scottish Government, NHS Blood and Transplant is also about to send a new educational resource, Give and Let Live, to all secondary schools in Scotland. It is aimed at 14 to 16-year-old pupils and is designed to highlight the concept of donating blood, organs, tissue and bone marrow.

Rail Network

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and representatives of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport regarding rail projects in Ayrshire.

Stewart Stevenson: The Cabinet Secretary has discussed progress required on the dynamic loop at Dunlop with the Chief Executive of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Crawfordyke Primary School building in Carluke to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Crawfordyke Primary School in Carluke is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  There are several procurement options open to public sector procuring bodies and it is their responsibility to assess which is most appropriate for any investment they are undertaking. As regards the Scottish Futures Trust, work on the design aspects is underway, and we believe it will be able to deliver better value arrangements for major public infrastructure projects. We will make an announcement when we are ready to explain it in more detail.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Lanark Grammar School building in Lanark to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Lanark Grammar School in Lanark is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  The establishment of the Scottish Futures Trust does not have a bearing on the replacement of Lanark Academy. The school is included in the council’s PPP project for which the contract was signed in June 2006. Work is currently underway on site, with an estimated completion date of August 2009.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Robert Smellie Primary School building in Larkhall to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Robert Smellie Primary School in Larkhall is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council, which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  There are several procurement options open to public sector procuring bodies and it is their responsibility to assess which is most appropriate for any investment they are undertaking. As regards the Scottish Futures Trust, work on the design aspects is underway and we believe it will be able to deliver better value arrangements for major public infrastructure projects. We will make an announcement when we are ready to explain it in more detail.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Biggar High School building in Biggar to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Biggar High School in Biggar is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  The establishment of the Scottish Futures Trust does not have a bearing on the replacement of Biggar High. The school is included in the council’s PPP project for which the contract was signed in June 2006. Work is currently underway on site, with an estimated completion date of August 2009.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Forth Primary School building in Forth to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Forth Primary School in Forth is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council, which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  There are several procurement options open to public sector procuring bodies and it is their responsibility to assess which is most appropriate for any investment they are undertaking. As regards the Scottish Futures Trust, work on the design aspects is underway and we believe it will be able to deliver better value arrangements for major public infrastructure projects. We will make an announcement when we are ready to explain it in more detail.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Milton Primary School building in Lesmahagow to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Milton Primary School in Lesmahagow is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council, which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  There are several procurement options open to public sector procuring bodies and it is their responsibility to assess which is most appropriate for any investment they are undertaking. As regards the Scottish Futures Trust, work on the design aspects is underway and we believe it will be able to deliver better value arrangements for major public infrastructure projects. We will make an announcement when we are ready to explain it in more detail.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Larkhall Academy building in Larkhall to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Larkhall Academy in Larkhall is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  The establishment of the Scottish Futures Trust does not have a bearing on the replacement of Larkhall Academy. The school is included in the council’s PPP project for which the contract was signed in June 2006. Work is currently underway on site, with an estimated completion date of August 2009.

Schools

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that the establishment of a Scottish futures trust, as promised in the SNP manifesto, will not cause the scheduled replacement of the Craigbank Primary School building in Larkhall to be postponed or cancelled.

Maureen Watt: The replacement of Craigbank Primary School in Larkhall is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council, which has a statutory responsibility to provide and maintain school buildings.

  There are several procurement options open to public sector procuring bodies and it is their responsibility to assess which is most appropriate for any investment they are undertaking. As regards the Scottish Futures Trust, work on the design aspects is underway and we believe it will be able to deliver better value arrangements for major public infrastructure projects. We will make an announcement when we are ready to explain it in more detail.

Smoking

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend funding for smoke-free enforcement beyond March 2008.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether new legislation increasing the smoking age to 18 will be accompanied by a commitment to continue the funding of smoke-free enforcement.

Shona Robison: Future funding for enforcement of the smoke-free laws is being considered as part of the 2007 Spending Review.

Wildlife

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to enhance the (a) investigation and (b) prosecution of alleged wildlife crime.

Frank Mulholland QC: Procurators fiscal work closely with investigating authorities to identify incriminating evidence of alleged wildlife crime. In addition to the police and other reporting agencies, the National Wildlife Crime Unit, based in North Berwick, also provides analysts, intelligence officers and investigative support officers to deal with wildlife crime across the UK. Since its launch in October 2006 the unit has implemented a national strategy for wildlife crime and prioritised areas of concern.

  The closer working relationships with reporting agencies developed by the specialist wildlife prosecutors through the Wildlife and Habitats Crime Prosecution Forum and other informal contact increases our ability to prosecute wildlife offences effectively.